Lapping-machine.



' No. 7|0.|07. Patented Sept.r30, |902.-

w. l. LEWIS.

LAPPING MACHINE.

(Application led Apr. 29, 1901.)

(No Model.)

2 Shams-Sheet l.

Ne. 7|o,l|o7. Patented sept. so, |902.

w. LEWIS. LAPPING MACHINE.

(Application led Apr. 29, 1901.)

(Illu Model.)

2 ShestsSheat 2.

ETE ao ac3 94 Zmesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

WILLARD I. LEWIS, OF WALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS. Y

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,107, datedSeptember 80, 1902.

' Application filed April 29, 1901. Serial No. 5'7-,914. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it 11i/ty concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLARD I. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Walpole, in the county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lapping-Machines,of

which the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

My invention consists in novel and improved mechanism for use in makinglaps for bats or wadding.

In the drawings, Figure l shows, mainly in side elevation, an embodimentof the invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation taken from the left in Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a partial plan of the doubler and certain parts adjacent thesame.

Having referenceto the drawings, my invention usually is employed inconnection with the machines which prepare the cotton or other fibrousmaterial for being formed into laps;

and the devices embodying the invention arey arranged to receive thematerial in the form of lieeces as the latter leave the discharging ordelivering devicesvof the said machines. The latter devices are hererepresented by the doffer 1 and doffing or stripping knife or comb 2,coacting with the doifer.

In connection with each fieece to be incorporated in the lap I employ atriangular'doubler 31, by means of which the fleece is doubled uponitself lengthwise by laying itsside portions together. The iieece inbeing led along is carried past and over the said doubler, its middlebeing drawn over the apex of the triangle and its side portions beingcaused to turn around the converging sides of the triangle and beingbrought together as the eece passes away from the doubler.

The construction of the doubler and thev mode of mounting the same inthe doublerframe 13, by which latter the doubleris supported, may beVaried in practice as desired. In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention I have shown the doubler connected pivotally, as at 31, withthe doubler-frame 13.V The pivotal connection just referred to is at thebroad upper end or base of the triangular doubler. Vith the lower partof the doubler is connected pivotally, as at 31", a rod 31C, the outerend of which is screw-threaded and passes through a hole in a plate orbracket 31d, that is attached to the doubler-frame 13, the saidscrew-threaded portion of the rod `wheel 21 on the roll 6.

having nuts 31e 31e applied to the same atopposite sides of the plate orbracket 31d. This Y construction enables the doubler to be adjusted inposition to get the required angle thereof with respect to the horizon.

For the purpose of carrying the fleece from the discharging ordelivering devices 1 2 to the doubler 3l any suitable conveying meansmay be employed. I have herein shown an apron 4, passing around'rolls 56, the latterof which is provided with a pulley or sprocketwheel 7,around which passes a band or chain 8, also passing around a pulley orsprocketwheel 9, that is fastwith a spur-gear 10, meshing with thedoffer-gear 11.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention what maybe termed thebase of the triangular doubler is uppermost, and adja* cent the saidbase is located a clearer-roll12, the latter being arrangedparallel withthe said base, over which roll the fleece passes on its way to thedoubler and from the periphery of which it drops onto the face of thedoubler. The doubler and the clearer-roll are supported on thedoubler-frame 13, and for the purpose of rotating the said `clearer-rollit is provided with a sprocket-wheel14, around which passes a chain 15,also passing around a sprocket-wheel 16 on a roll 17, journaled inbearings 18 Von the doubler-frame. Asecond sprocket-wheel 19, fast withtheisaid roll, receives a chain 20, passing around the sprocket- Thepurpose of the clearer-roll 12 is t0 secure a more perfect delivery ofthe iieece from the apron 4 to the doubler. The fleece has a tendency tocling to the surface of thel apron 4, so that at the place where thefleece should discharge from the said apron in passing toward thedoubler portions of the fleece remain adhering to the apron. This wouldresult in tearingthe fleece if measures were not taken'to prevent thetearing from occurring. Where av slatted apron is employed, the spacesopen up between the slats as the latter pass around the roll 17 andafterward close up again at the under side of the said roll. apart ofthe slats as they pass around the roll has a tendency to stretch thefieece,.while the closing together of the same has a tendency to nip thefleece, so as to hold portions of the latter and cause tearing. Theclearerroll 12, however, supports the iieece at the delivery end of theapron 4, lifting it from the The spreading IOO K surface of the latterat the roll 17, effecting the complete detachment of the fleece andpreventing it from being strained or stretched by the separation of theslats in going around the said roll and also from being nipped at theunder side of the roll. In its travel from the doffer to the doubler thefleece is supported by the apron 4 and then by the clearerroll 12. Inorder that no strain may come upon the fleece between the clearer-rolland the doubler and in passing the latter, such as would result fromlongitudinal draft on the fleece in endeavoring to pull it to and pastthe doubler, I locate the clearer-roll above the doubler, so that thefleece shall pass directly downward from the clearer-roll to thedoubler, and I arrange the doubler in its entirety in a position withits main face inclined with reference to the vertical, so that thefleece descends naturally by gravity past the doubler, but is sosupported by the latter as to prevent all tendency to tear apart onaccount of its weight. Frein the doubler the doubled fleece passes tothe receiver or accumulator`on which the lap is formed. In some casesthe character of the receiver or accumulator may vary in practice.

In the illustrated embodiment of the entire invention I employ ahorizontally-extending receiving-apron 3 below the doubler, to which thefleece passes from the latter.

The fleece is ofso tender and delicate a character that as far aspossible the same must be relieved from strain during the operations towhich it is subjected in being doubled longitudinally. I therefore formthe face of the triangular doubler over which the fleece moves with asmooth surface throughout its superficial area, and I arrange the saiddoubler in a downwardly-inclined position in order that the fleece maytend to slide down the same under the influence of gravity. The portionsthereof extending downward at the sides of the doubler would part ortear as a result of the weight thereof. l therefore provide for giving acertain amount of support to the depending portions of the fleece bymeans of surfaces extending under the doubler, the same being locatedparallel with the sides of the doubler and comparatively close thereto,the said surfaces receiving the fleece as it passes downward around theconverging edges of the doubler and sustaining a portion of the weightthereof", thereby relieving the strain which is due to such weight andobviating the tendency to part or tear the fleece. Preferably I employmoving su rfaces having the same or substantially the same speed as thetravel of the fleece. In the illustrated embodiment of the inventionthese moving surfaces are constituted by aprons 23 23, extending aroundrolls 24 25, which are parallel with each other and aresuitablyjournaled at the top and bottom of the doublerframe. The saidaprons are caused to travel toward each other, they being driven bymeans of bevel-gears 241 241 on the rolls 24 24,meshing with bevel-gears171 171, fast with the roll 17, which, as stated above, is journaled inbearings in the doubler-frame. The rolls 25 25 are located closetogether adjacent the apex or lower end of the doubler and serve tobring the side portions of the doubled fleece together as the fleeceleaves the doubler and passes to the receiving or forming apron.

In practice a number of the fiber-preparing machines or otherfleece-supplying machines is ranged in a series in the direction of thelength of the receiving and forming apron 3, and in connection with eachofthe said fleecesupplying machines is provided afleece-doublingapparatus such aslhave just described, the doubled fleeces beingreceived in succession upon the said receivingapron, one superimposingitself upon another until the required thickness for the desired lap hasbeen secured.

The thickness of lap desired to be produced varies. In some instances itmay he required to secure the maximum thickness due to uniting thefleeces from all the fleece-supplying machines of the series adjacentthereceiving and forming apron 3. In otherinstances the thickness desiredmay be that which is produced by uniting a smaller number of fleeces.

One aim of my invention is to enable laps of different thicknesses to beproduced without the loss of production, which is incident to arrestingthe working of any of the fleecesupplying machines-namely, those whichare in excess of the number required for producing a lap of the desiredthickness. Accordingly I employ two or more receiving and forming apronsor other receivers or accumulators, and I combine them with the meansfor delivering fleeces thereto in a manner which enables me either todeliver the entire number of fleeces to one of the said aprons or otherreceivers or accumulators or to divide up the entire number of fleecesbetween the said aprons, receivers, or accumulators by delivering agiven number of the said fleeces to one thereof and the remainder to theother thereof, in this latter case producing simultaneously two laps ofeither equal or unequal thicknesses. With these ends in View the meansfor Guiding each fleece to the apron or other receiver or forming deviceis mounted with capacity to be shifted from one receiving-apron to theother. Herein in the illustrated embodiment of my complete invention Ihave shown the doubler-frame mounted on trucks or rolls 251 251 upontransversely-extending rails 26 26 above two receiving-aprons 3 3, Thedoubler-frame may be rolled upon these rails from a position above onereceiving-apron to a position above the other thereof, as required.

For the purpose of conveying the fleece from the apron 4to the doublerwhen the latter is in position over the remote receivingapron 3n Iprovide a supplemental or transfer apron 27, passing around the roll 17.Or-

ICO

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dinarily this transfer-apron is not required to actively cooperate inthe transfer of the fleece from apron 4 to the clearer-roll l2, al,-though the fleece does make contact with the surface thereof in passingfrom the said apron 4 to the said clearer-roll when the parts arepositioned as in Fig. l. Normally the transfer-apron is extendeddownward around a supporting-roll 28, mounted conveniently in bearingsin the lower part of the frame 291V of the machine. When, however, thedoubler-frame is shifted into a position over the remote receiving-apron3a, the supportingroll 28 is removed, and as the transfer-apron is drawnout by the movement of the doubler-frame into a horizontal orsubstantially horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines, it tightensaround the roll 29, which is mounted in said frame 291 immediatelyadjacent the upper roll 6 of the apron 4. The transferapron then servesto carry the fleece over from the upper end of apron 4 to the doubler.

Vhat I claim is- `l. In alapping-lnachine, in combination, afleece-supplying machine, a triangular doubler receiving the fleece fromsaid machine and over the apex and sides of which the fleece passes andis doubled longitudinally, supporting-surfaces for the side portions ofthe fleece adjacent the sides of said doubler, and a lap-former on whichthe doubled fleece is received, substantially as described.

2. In a lapping-machine, in combination, a fleece-supplying machine, atriangular doubler over which the fleece from said machine passes and isdoubled lengthwise of itself, endless aprons at opposite sides of thedoubler supporting the side portions of the fleece, and a lap-former onwhich the doubled 'fleece is received, substantially as described.

3. In a lapping-machine, in combination, the fleece-supplying machine,the plurality of lap-formers arranged side by side, means for deliveringthe fleece from said machine to saidlap-formers adjustable to deliver toeither of said lap-formers as desired, substantially as described.

4. In a lapping-machine, in combination, the fleece-supplying machine,the plurality of lap-formers arranged side by side, and a doubler bywhich the fleece is doubled lengthwise upon itself, said doubler beingadjustable to deliver to either of said lap-formers as desired,substantially as described.

5. In a lapping-machine, in combination, the plurality of lap-formersarranged side by side, the movable doubler-frame, and the doublerconnected with said doubler-frame and adapted to be placed in operativeposition with relation to either of said lap-formers as desired,substantially as described. Y

6. In a lapping-machine, in combination, the plurality of lap-formersarranged Iside by side, the movable doubler-frame, the doubler,

adapted to be placed in operative position with relation to either ofsaid lap-formers as desired, the fleece-supplying machine and means forconveying the fleece therefrom to the doubler, and the transfer-apron totransfer the fleece from the said means to the doubler when the latteris inoperative relations with the more remote lap-former, substantiallyas described.

7. In combination,means for supplying a fleece, the triangular doublerover which the fleece is doubled .lengthwise upon itself, theclearer-roll at the receiving end of the faceY of the doubler, and thesurfaces to support the sides of the fleece, at the sides of thedoubler, substantially as described.

8. In combination, means for supplyinga fleece, the triangular doublerover which the fleece is doubled lengthwise upon itself, theclearer-roll at the receiving end of the face of the doubler, and theendless aprons at the sides of the doubler to support the sides of thefleece, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the fleececonveying apron 4, the clearer-rolladjacent the delivery portion of the said apron serving to detach thefleece from said delivery portion, and the triangular doubler having itsmain face inclined with reference to the vertical and to which thefleece descends from the clearerroll, substantially as described.

lO. The combination, in devices for folding or doubling longitudinallyafleece of' fibrous material, of a delivery-apron, an inclined triangularguide presenting a smooth surface throughout its superficial area andarranged to receive the fleece from the delivery-apron, and inclinedaprons mounted upon rollers which are parallel to each other, travelingunder the guide and toward each other whereby the fleece is folded ordoubled longitudinally, substantially as described.

ll. The combination, iu devices for folding or doubling longitudinally afleece of fibrous material, of a delivery-apron, two aprons arranged totravel at right angles to the travel of the delivery-apron, and arrangedon an ineline and spaced apart for the passage of the ICO folded fleece,with an inclined triangular from the guide-surface and folded or doubledlongitudinally, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.1

WILLARD I. LEWIS. Witnesses: s'

CHAs. F. RANDALL, EDITH J. ANDERSON.

